A global Leader
Our mission is to create a sustainable global carbon sequestration market based on a Removal Unit Program (RMU) – that also helps local communities by creating self-sustaining programs in agriculture, clean energy and food security.
With the development and implementation sustainable climate smart agriculture, afforestation programs, renewable technologies and energy in arid and semi arid regions, we are helping create healthy communities and economics.
The ITOCO program has been proven elsewhere that arid lands can produce carbon-reducing crops and provide a sustainable circular economy where all stakeholders win. The Nopal cactus is being cultivated in arid countries around the world and has proven to remove toxic emissions from the air and support local communities.
42% of the Earth’s surface is desert. The Nopal Cactus is able to grow on land where no other crops are able to grow, it can be used to restore degraded land and in many arid countries, it is the only crop that can be relied on when everything else fails. It also acts as an important first step in restoring a balanced biosphere in which other plants can thrive again.
Helping People Thrive
Stephen McNeill has extensive management experience in private and public sectors holding CEO, President and Senior Vice President positions, as well as serving on their Boards of Directors.
Stephen has worked in print media, marketing, manufacturing, packaging, and agribusiness enterprises prior to joining ITOCO in 2021.
He has a significant network of government, corporate and agency contacts in Europe and Africa, and has been advancing ITOCO’s agenda among key audiences internationally.
Nuno Pires was born on the 15th of August 1971, in Fundão, Portugal, having moved to Lisbon at the age of one, where he studied and lived until 2013. In terms of academic studies, Mr. Pires started with Mechanical Engineering, which allowed him to work in the automobile and farming machinery industries. In 2002, he also specialized in IT Security Management and Audits.
Afterwards, in 2013, Mr. Pires decided to focus on Organic Farming, namely with prickly pears, having started a new company, named Diálogos do Bosque, in Alentejo- Cortiçadas de Lavre. This company is specialized in the organic production of prickly pears, as well as derived products from this fruit and its cactus, used in several industries, such as cosmetics, food, and pharmaceutical. This company is also authorized to produce propagation material for Opuntias, and as such it has its own nurseries to supply new prickly pear plantations.
Mr. Pires is skillful in many areas which have allowed the growing success of this company and the willingness of achieving future goals and challenges.
José Calejo Guerra holds a law degree, a post-graduation degree on tax law and completed an Adv. LL.m. in International Taxation from the International Tax Center (Leiden University) where he also stayed as a teaching assistant.
Mr. Guerra has developed his career in some of the leading law firms in Portugal with a focus on tax consulting and tax litigation.
Mr. Guerra is the managing partner of CCSL Advogados. He leads the tax and international investment practice of the firm. He is a full member of the Portuguese Bar Association, Portuguese Fiscal Association (AFP) and International Fiscal Association (IFA).
For over 25 years, Dennis Garces has worked as an entrepreneur and corporate executive. Mr. Garces has been involved in several Canadian, US and Global organizations leading or part of the senior management team and has been a part of several successful public and private acquisitions. He has held senior roles in Canada and the US with several corporations in multiple verticals. His career has been covered in publications such as Marketing Magazine, Strategy Magazine, The New York Times, The Hill Times, The Globe and Mail, Billboard Magazine, Rolling Stone and AllBusiness.com.
He recently was President of U.S.-based Amercanex International Exchange, a privately held company FINTECH which was acquired in February 2020. He served as Managing Partner for a Toronto based IR and Capital Markets firm. Mr. Garces volunteered as a business mentor for over a decade with Futurepreneur and over 20 years with Upper Canada College’s Mentorship program to support and guide young entrepreneurs. Mr. Garces also serves as Vice-Chair Networks on York University’s Alumni Board and serves as a Convenor for the U11 division of the North Toronto Hockey League.
Mr. Garces hold an Honors BA in English Literature with a Minor in Economics and Psychology from York University. He attended preparatory and high school at Upper Canada College.
Jose Alves of Lisbon, Portugal, holds a Degree in Biology and a Master’s Degree in Agronomic Engineering from the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa.
As an Agronomist Eng., Mr. Alves has a broad perspective of work experience in biotechnology, agri-food technical, former manager of an agricultural property of cactus pear and former COO and manager of a company related to the European Investment Funds. He has also been heavily involved in the agricultural national association of cactus pear (APROFIP) in Portugal. His expertise includes GACP, HACCP, global GAP, GRASP, BRC, ecological farming, permaculture, regenerative and biodynamic agriculture.
He did his Master’s Thesis on the Opuntia fiscus-indica cactus entitled Perspectives of use of Cactus Pear in Alentejo: Characterization of Opuntia sp. in the Alentejo Coast and Tapada da Ajuda (Lisbon) and study of the installation of an orchard.
Mr. Alves brings a wealth of experience in project design, overseeing scientific and technical operations, quality assurance, and management in various agri-businesses.
He will lead the development of methodology and oversight in ITOCO’s bid to become the first company to gain certification of nopal cactus for carbon credits.
Mr. Alves will also be responsible for all peer review of manuscripts and documentation that will further establish ITOCO as a leader in mass scaling nopal cactus orchards for land regeneration, food security, biogas, and carbon credits.
Mr. Pang has over 40 years’ experience in multiple business ventures, including Real Estate Brokerage/Investment, and consulting to early stage and start-up companies in the mineral resources and technology areas. He has served as a Director and Officer for a number of technology and mineral resources companies in both the private and public sectors.
In 1991 founded a consulting company, which assists clients in developing marketing plans, raising capital and restructuring; all with the goal of enabling them to go public.